


She’s a romantic drunk

by Zoya113



Category: The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals - Team StarKid
Genre: Drinking, F/M, Fluff, maybe a bit of angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-10
Updated: 2019-05-10
Packaged: 2020-02-29 13:01:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18778813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zoya113/pseuds/Zoya113
Summary: Emma gets a bit romantic when she drinks





	She’s a romantic drunk

“I’m going to get piss drunk at this thing tonight,” Emma grumbled as she slid into the passenger seat of Paul’s car.   
“Please don’t, and it’s not a ‘thing,’ it’s a very important business meeting for the company so please try and make a good impression.”   
“I’ll try but no promises. Listening to your weird boss talk about computers and printers and stocks can only keep me entertained for so long.”   
“Seatbelts, Emma,” he felt like he had to remind her every time she got in his car. “I thought maybe you’d like to come! There’s free dinner and you know the guys I work with, they love you!”   
“Correction, they don’t love me they love that I bring them coffee,” she huffed as the car started up. “Don’t know why they love the coffee though, it’s shit,” she added in a mumbled side note. “Just like, go to the Starbucks down the road.”   
“Oh it’s not that bad,” Paul tried to assure her.   
“Oh no it’s really bad, I would know.”  
“Okay so maybe it’s the coffee they love but if you make a good impression then maybe they’ll be just as excited to see you as they are to see their coffee.”   
Emma scoffed, “what, you want me to try and get along with Ted? He’s an asshole.”  
“Yeah but you like Charlotte and Bill don’t you?   
“Remind me why I’m coming again?”   
“Well, I just thought that y’know,” his face turned red as he pulled up at the stop light. He didn’t speak until the light turned green again. “I thought maybe it’d be nice to bring my girlfriend to the company meeting! Mr. Davidson is bringing his wife and Charlotte is bringing her husband and-“  
She cut him off. “Are you bringing me to show off to Ted?”   
“What!?” Shocked, Paul’s grip on the steering wheel faltered for a second as he turned to look at Emma.   
“Drive!” Emma yelped, pressing back into her seat and digging her nails into the dashboard, wide eyed and pale.   
Paul grabbed the wheel again, catching his breath. “Why would I bring you to show off to Ted? Who cares what that guy thinks! I wouldn’t do that, why would I?” He continued after he had a better grip on his driving. He drew his fingers through his hair, avoiding eye contact.   
“Is it because he didn’t think you’d ever get a girlfriend?” Emma was still pressed into her seat, her eyes set on the road.   
Paul cleared his throat. “It’s not that, I’m just bringing you along to a nice outing because I love you and you’re coming because you love me.”   
“No I get it. Makes the evening fun if it’s to shove something down Ted’s throat,” she sat up in her seat, brushing her hair back into place to hide any evidence of her minor meltdown over Paul’s driving. “By the way I’m never getting in a car with you again,” she told him as they pulled into the parking lot and got out of the car.   
“Okay I get you’re mad at me because you hate bad drivers and I know you hate being romantic but can you just pretend I’m the perfect man for an hour or two?”   
Emma grabbed his hand as they walked in through the office doors. “If it’s to make Ted mad then you bet. I can pretend all you like.”  
Paul forced an awkward smile. “Well I’d like to think it doesn’t take as much pretending as you’re making it out to be,” he lowered his voice as they shuffled through the crowds of employees.   
“It doesn’t, I just like to tease you,” she shot him a daring grin. “Come on, lead me to the bar or the buffet or wherever the drinks are.”  
“Try not to drink that much please, Em. I hate being here as much as you but at least be civil,” he guided her to the buffet table. It was a collection of several tables from the break room pushed together with a red tablecloth thrown messily over the top. It was swarmed by employees.   
Emma tried to push through the crowd but she looked to be the shortest one there and couldn’t force her way through. He was about to give her a hand but someone stopped him.   
“Hey Paul,” Ted parted the crowd with ease. “Y’excited for the big presentation?” He had a half-empty glass of beer in his hand.   
Paul’s eyes darted around for Emma but he had lost her in the crowd.   
“Not really, I’m just here for the free food,” he gestured to the buffet again as an excuse to search for Emma for a second longer.   
“Well there are a couple of cute girls who work a few floors up,” he winked. “Shooting my shot with one of them, Bill said he didn’t want to get ‘involved,’ so do you want the other?”  
Whenever Ted spoke it managed to get Paul’s skin crawling. “Actually I’m here with Emma,” although he had no clue where she had gotten to.   
“Oh, her!” Ted laughed uproariously. “Yeah, sure she is. She wouldn’t be caught dead here Paul. No clue how you managed to land a girl this year before me,” he lowered his voice as he spoke like he was telling a secret. “Is she any good in bed?” He asked flat out, raising his voice again as if this was perfectly acceptable to talk about. It was typical Ted.  
“God, Ted. Don’t you have better questions to ask?”   
Ted finished off his beer and wiped his lips. “Just killing time until the presentation.”   
“What’s up? I’m back now,” Emma already looked dazed, she came back to stand by Paul’s side and she was leaning onto him for extra support.   
“Where’d you go?” Paul asked below his breath so Ted couldn’t hear.   
“Oh!” Emma exclaimed, not matching Paul’s volume at all. She looked down at the wine glass in her hand. “Well let’s just say this isn’t my first drink.”   
“Well maybe that’s enough for tonight then, we’re going to be here for a while yet,” he advised, trying to pluck the glass from her hand.   
Emma begrudgingly let him take it. “Well hi Ted! Great to see you again,” her words were thick with sarcasm.   
“I could say the same to you,” he didn’t even try to smile. “How’s that leg treating you?”   
Emma looked down at her bad leg, the scar was hidden by the pants she was wearing but she stared for a moment anyways. “It’s doing really good. Paul really helps me manage it when it gets bad because he’s just the best,” there was a strain to her voice that made it quite clear how alienated Emma was from the concept of romance.   
“Yeah, really?” Ted wasn’t buying into the idea either. “Well that’s good for the two of you. Just great.”   
“Yeah, we’re very happy together,” it came easier to her though once Ted started getting annoyed.   
He looked down at her as she continued to drawl on about how in love she was with him to Ted, who was now trying his hardest to find an exit from the conversation. All he had wanted was for Ted to get a taste of his own management but he couldn’t help but think about how in love he was with this tiny little bully of a barista. She couldn’t be romantic for the life of her but she sure could act the part if it meant making Ted mad.   
He could feel her hand running up his back and wrapping around his shoulder, she even had to stand on the tips of her toes for that.   
“He really goes out of his way for me, he’s too nice I really don’t deserve this treatment. Sometimes when I’m at work he brings me the good coffee from Starbucks, he always gets his timing right as well. He just knows me so well.”  
He tried to look over at Ted just to gage how annoyed he was getting but he couldn’t look away from Emma.   
She had this affection in her eyes she didn’t normally have, she was smiling and casting longing glances up at Paul and batting her eyelids whenever she said his name. She wasn’t making up stories either, she was listing off everything he had done for her lately with this completely lovesick tone. She continued to lean into his side and grasp at his arm and put her hand on his chest to the point it was distracting.   
“Well I’m glad you’re happy together. Paul sounds like he treats you really well,” it was only as Ted forced the conversation to a standstill by interrupting Emma that he managed to catch a glimpse of the pain on his face. He was looking at his watch and trying to hide a grimace, he looked more bored than Emma had earlier. “I’ll see ya at work tomorrow Paul. I’m gonna go see if I can still find that cute girl from earlier,” he disappeared into the crowd with a drag to his step.   
“Thank god that’s over with,” Emma’s act washed away quickly. She wiped her hands off like she was removing all evidence of the way she had acted. She stole her drink back from Paul and finished it off. “He looked miserable, totally worth it. Let’s go find Charlotte.”   
Paul still felt a little stunned. “Wow, I wasn’t expecting you to do that,” he was blushing.   
Emma sneered. “I love it when you go all red with that. I used to take theatre classes remember? I was in Brigadoon?”   
“Yeah it really payed off,” Paul added, although he hoped that wasn’t all acting. She seemed so genuine.   
“And I fucking killed it, don’t forget that part.”   
“I won’t, that stuff you said was really nice though!” He started hopefully, but the moment he begun Emma turned away.   
“I’m just going to grab another drink real quick,” and she fought her way through the buffet crowd again.   
Melissa approached Paul timidly, still holding onto her clipboard. He barely ever saw her without it.   
“Hi Paul, having a good night?”   
“It’s been okay, any better for you?”   
“Well I’m not actually here for the presentation, I’m working overtime. Mr Davidson has me just doing some tasks around the office and I’m supposed to be making sure no one takes too much from the buffet so I thought I should let you know that Emma is really scoffing down maybe her fourth wine of the night? I don’t really have the heart to stop her but I thought maybe it’d be better if she came to sit with me instead of going to the presentation with you.”  
“I’ll go talk to her,” Paul left Melissa behind, pushing past people to get to Emma at the end of the table. “Em, I think you’ve had enough. If you really think you’ll be that bored it’s not too late for me to take you back home.”   
Emma shook her head. “No, it’s okay babe I’m not a light weight.”   
“Babe?” Paul repeated, confused. She never used pet names.   
“I’ll only have one more. The presentation is supposed to start soon,” Paul grabbed her wrist before she could pour the next drink.   
“Let’s just leave it at that,” he recommended. “The presentation is only forty-five minutes long, then we’ll go right home.”   
“Well cheers,” she raised her glass. “Hopefully I don’t remember any of it.”   
Mr. Davidson and his wife were greeting everyone on their way into the presentation hall. He clapped Paul on the back enthusiastically.   
“Having a good evening so far Paul?”   
“It’s been lovely, nice to see you again Carol,” he shook both of their hands.   
“So who’s the lucky lady?” Mr. Davidson smiled politely in Emma’s direction.   
“Lucky indeed,” Emma chuckled, clinging to Paul’s arm. Then she started doing it again: the batting of her eyelashes, the hand holding, the purr to her voice.   
Mr. Davidson treated her enthusiasm like a happy surprise, shooting Paul confident looks whenever Emma told him an especially good story. She told the story about the coffee again but in much more detail. “Yeah, he brings me my favourite. He gets the right order and everything. And you know it’s always when I’m up late working on a project that he brings me a coffee the next morning. He’s too good for me.”   
And once more, she wasn’t making any of it up and her praise seemed too genuine to be acting at this point. When Paul finally managed to get her away from his boss and into a chair he took her hand tight to stop her wandering. “You’re drunk!” He whispered in a hiss.   
“Well that was the idea wasn’t it? I’m trying to see if I can get black out drunk at this point. I don’t want to remember. I’m really dreading this talk. What’s it even about again? Printers? Bonds?”   
“I only asked you to pretend I was great around Ted, you didn’t need to do that with Mr. Davidson if it makes you uncomfortable!” He reminded her, trying to remind her to quiet down as the hall started filling up.   
“No, no! It’s fine! I’m having a bit of fun. I love seeing how red your face goes, it’s cute.”   
“Thanks?”   
Something caught Emma’s eye and drove her attention away from him.   
Ted had walked into the hall, flanked by Charlotte and Bill.   
Bill saw Paul and started to lead the group over to the seats nearby but Ted saw Emma and lead them the other way.   
The talk commenced, Mr. Davidson had a big slide show up on the projector that he knew Melissa had probably made for him.   
Emma quickly grew bored and restless beside him but he focused his attention on the talk instead. Knowing the eccentric nature of his boss he would probably be publicly called out if he wasn’t paying attention.   
Emma wrapped one arm around his neck, shifting in her chair ever so slightly so that she was almost sitting on his lap. She rested her other hand on his chest and leant up to kiss his cheek.   
Paul smiled back at her but tried to keep his focus on the Powerpoint.   
She had continued this odd cycle of affection throughout the presentation, burrowing into his side and holding his hands and shifting so far that after a while she was sitting in his lap.   
“Emma, you have to stop,” he whispered to her. That was when he noticed she was glaring at Ted across the aisle and he was glaring back.   
He sighed, turning back to the slide on the projector. It was about a new printer they were going to start selling. Mr. Davidson was enthusiastically going on about its properties and how it was different from every other printer they were selling.   
“You don’t have to keep pretending in front of Ted now. I know you’re bored but I have to watch this and you’re distracting me,” he whispered, trying to shift her off his lap to no result.   
“Yeah but look how bothered Ted is,” she whispered back, grinning.   
“You’ve made a point he won’t forget and I really appreciate that but time to stop. Look, the presentation isn’t that much longer now.”  
Emma sighed and stifled a yawn. “Okay, I’m gonna go hang out with Melissa. I’ll meet you once it’s over okay? Have fun, Paul.”   
He felt guilty to think it was a weight off his shoulders but he was happy he could pay attention to the presentation without Emma trying to kiss him every ten seconds. He slid his phone out of his coat pocket to sent Melissa a text.   
‘Did Emma find you alright?’ 

‘Yes, she’s here :)’ 

‘Just don’t let her drink anymore.’   
There was a long pause before she replied 

‘A little late for that.’

Paul sighed. She wasn’t going to be happy when she had to get up for college in the morning. He couldn’t remember if they had any pain killers left in the cupboard. 

‘Paul maybe you should come here. Emma wants you :(‘ 

‘Is she okay?’ 

‘Sort of, yeah,,, she’s just a bit drunk I think, I can take her home if you want.’ 

‘No it’s okay, I’ll do it. Coming now.’  
Paul bit his lip and stood from his chair, hurrying out of the hall. He knew everyone had turned their heads to watch him leave and Mr. Davidson was going to question him about it tomorrow.   
He crept through the now abandoned buffet room and through office cubicles, looking for wherever Melissa and Emma had gone off to.   
He found Melissa eventually, she looked frantic. Emma was sitting in an office chair with a bottle of wine between her thighs and her hands around its neck.   
“Emma’s fine, she’s just drunk-sad. I guess it’s my fault, I should’ve jumped in and stopped her after her second,” she was stroking Emma’s back as the girl wiped tears from her red eyes.   
“I just really fucking hate bad drivers,” Emma grumbled.   
“I’ve heard the Jane story a few times now,” Melissa informed Paul. “It’s awful to hear, I’m really sorry. She better get home, can you drive Paul?”   
“Yeah, I haven’t had anything to drink. Come on, Em, no need to cry.”  
Emma grabbed Melissa’s shoulder instead, shaking her head. She looked nauseous to be pulled to her feet. “I have to tell you something, Mel. I know I said I hate all bad drivers but I don’t hate Paul.”   
“Hey, I’m not an awful driver!” Paul tried to hush Emma. “She’s really drunk.”   
“I know, it’s okay. I would be too if I was allowed to drink tonight. Was the presentation any fun?”   
“I don’t remember much. We’re selling a new printer. Mr. Davidson says it’ll be good for stocks.”   
“Did you like the powerpoint I made? I spent like a whole day working on that,” she seemed pretty pleased with herself.   
“Guys, I’m drinking to forget about this whole tech talk don’t keep going on about it,” Emma coughed. “Paul you’re too interesting to work at CCR-whatever.”   
“Thanks, Em.” He confiscated the bottle on her lap.   
The presentation hall doors opened up as Charlotte exited, followed closely by Bill and even Ted.   
“Oh! You’re alright, Paul,” she looked relieved. “We saw you leave but you never came back.”   
“Are you guys having your own party out here?” Bill laughed.   
Ted looked like he wanted another drink of his own and ended up taking the one Paul had just stolen off Emma. “You guys just making out out here or something? We get it, you’re dating,” he swallowed the last few sips and rolled his eyes.  
“Quick Paul,” Emma grabbed his face. “Kiss me in front of them.”   
“Oh no, no thanks. Not while you’re drunk.” He pushed her back and she clung onto his arm again.   
“The perfect boyfriend,” Ted said in a mocking voice. “Ugh,” he put one arm around Charlotte’s shoulder. The latter turned bright red.  
Bill took the bottle from Ted, throwing it in the bin. “I can count the list of sober people at this party on my fingers.”  
“We get it, you’re a dad,” Ted laughed at his own joke despite having already told it only a couple of seconds ago.   
“Alright Emma, I think it’s time you guys head on down to the car. It was lovely to see you again.”   
“Aww, thanks Melissa. Tell Paul not to be a bad driver for me. You should’ve seen what he did on the way here,” Emma pointed a finger at him.  
“Okay I’ll remind him,” Melissa nodded. “See you next time Emma,” she waved goodbye as Emma stumbled on her own for a second before Paul took her arm to help her walk.   
“She’s so drunk,” Melissa commented, following closely behind.   
Paul heaved a heavy sigh. “I know. She got down to her sixth or seventh drink there. Hopefully she’ll be right off to sleep.”  
It was a team effort to get Emma down the stairs without her falling but once the task was done Melissa finally parted to return upstairs.   
“Ready to go Emma?” He asked as she eased into the passenger seat.  
“Paul?” She looked at him hopefully. “I know I give you shit about being dumb and being shit at cooking and driving and kissing and all that but I really, really love you.”   
Paul started up the car, pulling out onto the road. “Drunk Emma is a romantic Emma, good to know.”   
“Sorry for ruining your night.”   
“You didn’t ruin it, it’s fine.”   
“I know but you do a lot for me and then I made you miss the end of the one thing you asked of me,” she was reaching across to the drivers seat, grabbing at his arm again.   
“It’s not a big deal. It’s not like I really wanted to go. It was mandatory. It was more fun with you there.”  
“Paul?”   
“What’s up?”   
“I love you, I really do. Sorry for not being romantic when I’m not six glasses down.”   
Paul smiled, his gaze trained on the road. “It’s okay, Em.”   
Emma shook her head. “None of it was acting tonight Paul, do you know that? Everything I said?”   
Paul chuckled. “I know, Em.”   
Emma tugged at his sleeve. “Say you love me back. If you don’t say it back I’ll never be romantic again. I love you Paul.”   
This time Paul laughed, “Let’s see just how much you remember in the morning. You’ll be very mad at me if I let you be romantic. You’ll say ‘you really let me make an idiot out of myself like that?’ Almost word for word.”   
“I’m not that drunk.”  
“Yes you are.”   
“Well my point still stands! I love you, Paul Matthews. Say it back.”   
“I love you too, Emma Perkins.”


End file.
